Around a third of parents in Bexley have cut back on buying food in order to meet their housing costs.

A report released by national housing charity, Shelter, has said one in three working parents in the borough are cutting back on buying food in order to pay for their home.

Nearly 800,000 parents in the south of England are being made to choose between food and rent or mortgage costs.

The report also highlights that one in 10 parents have gone to the extreme of skipping meals in order to pay for their housing costs.

Shelter has warned that thousands of adults are at serious risk of losing their homes if they face any cut in income, or see any rises in their outgoings.

The report, which used the findings of a Yougov poll of working families, also highlights almost 10 per cent of families are put off buying new school uniform while more than 12 per cent delayed buying new shoes for their children.